How Does A Moment Last Forever
by Phantom Actress
Summary: "Blanche Swann didn't want her daughter to go to bed. Not yet. Blanche only had a few days our weeks left with Elizabeth, so of course, she had to spend as much time possible with her." Elizabeth stays up with her mother one night, enjoying each other's company, taking about pirates and such.


**This is my first POTC fan fiction I've written. I apologize in advance for any typos. I was typing this on my tablet, which decides which word it wants me to use. Elizabeth's mother always interested me, so I came up with this. I'm planning on writing a few more POTC one-shots. I'm working on a multi chapter one, too.**

**I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean. If I did, I'd be rich.**

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How Does A Moment Last Forever

Blanche Swann didn't want her daughter to go to bed. Not yet. Blanche only had a few days our weeks left with Elizabeth, so of course, she had to spend as much time possible with her. Blanche stayed by Elizabeth's side, running her cheek gently. Elizabeth was a smart eight-year-old; she knew that she had to use this opportunity to take advantage of her mother. Not like she knew her mother was dying. Far from it.

"Mama, tell me a story about a pirate," Elizabeth ordered, sitting up in her bed.

Her mother smiled, she closed her eyes to think.

"Did I ever tell you that I met a pirate once?" Blanche asked. Elizabeth shock her head, eyes brimming with curiosity. "Well, his name was Hector Barbossa. He was quite a sight."

Elizabeth giggled. "Well, he was a pirate," she pointed out.

Blanche put her daughter on her lap. "Indeed he was. I heard about another pirate, too. His name is Jack Sparrow. Not much older than a lad, but one day, he'll be captain of his own ship! I'm sure of it!"

"Was it rather exciting to meet a pirate?" Elizabeth wondered, looking up at her mother through wide eyes.

"Oh, yes, Bessie. It was," said Blanche, laughing, "Maybe someday, you'll meet a pirate, too." She looked from side to side, as if she was searching for a spy. "But don't tell your father that. He doesn't fancy pirates too much."

Elizabeth looked pleased to know something that her father didn't. Blanche felt a wave of tiredness come over her. Her daughter's bed looked so inviting. A cramp was starting to eat away at her stomach. Worry replaced Elizabeth's happy expression.

"Are you okay, Mama?" the child asked.

Blanche nodded. "It's time for bed, sweetheart." Elizabeth crawled back under her blankets, after av miss of the cheek from her mother. "In the morning, I'll find my old pirate books and we'll look at them together, all right, deerie?"

After a quiet "yes" from Elizabeth, Blanche closed the door. She stumbled over to her room. But the door seemed so far. Blanche would never make it. She reached for the handles, even though she was so far still. A force dragged her down into the floor. The crashing hurt, but at least she didn't have to stand any longer. Her husband heard her fall. He ran out to her. Most of it was a blur. Weatherby called a butler to carry her to their bed. A maid got the doctor. Blanche knew that her time was limited. Even the doctor said so.

"Weatherby," Blanche crooked.

"Yes, darling." He was at her side immediately. "What do you need?"

"There's some books in my old trunk. I want you to give them to Elizabeth," she told him, "You can take anything you want of mine. I don't mind."

"But Blanche, dear," the Governor chuckled softly, "You still need those things."

"When I'm gone, Weatherby."

His face darkened. "You aren't going to die, Blanche."

She ignored the tears that threatened her. "The doctor even said so."

"Then he's wrong. You won't die."

Seeing her husband crying was what made Blanche start sobbing with him. For an hour they sat, holding each other, bawling. Then they heard, Elizabeth crying from outside the room. Weatherby opened the door for her. Elizabeth ran to her mother and cried into her chest, as her parents stroked her hair. They didn't scold her about eavesdropping. How could they?

One of the very last moments together.

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After the funeral, the Swanns went home. Neither of them spoke. Elizabeth's face was drying from the tears she'd shed.

For a week the family went down like this. Elizabeth scarcely spoke a word. To the maids, animals, or her friends. This went on, until Weatherby sat her down to have a talk.

"Are you alright, Elizabeth?" he asked her.

She nodded. But her eyes told her otherwise.

"Are you sure?"

Elizabeth sighed out of anger. "Yes! I'm fine! What else do you want me to say?!"

Cold tears fell down her cheeks. Weatherby held her until she was done.

"Why did she have to go?" Elizabeth asked, tearfully.

Weatherby sighed. "Your mother was very, very sick, Elizabeth."

"I know. But I want Mama," the girl pleaded.

After thinking for a moment, Weatherby came up with a solution. To help his daughter feel at least a little better. He found Blanche's old trunk. Weatherby pulled out a book with a dusty cover. When he returned to Elizabeth's room, he presented it to her.

"Something to help you remember her," he said, before leaving his daughter and her book alone.

Elizabeth ran her hand over the cover, making the dust fall off.

"_Tales from the Seven Seas,_" Elizabeth read.

She opened the book and started to read.

Remembering everything her mother had told her.

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**Sorry about any typos or misspelled words. This isn't the world's greatest fan fiction, but I tried.**

**I haven't officially diagnosed Blanche, I wanted to leave that up to you. Tell me what you think she died of in the reviews. If you want to know what _I _think she died of, pm me and we'll talk. **

**Thanks for reading! I LOVE reviews.**


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